Method and apparatus for the production of textile fabrics and the fabric produced thereby

ABSTRACT

A textile fabric is produced by employing both weaving and knitting techniques simultaneously. The weftwise extending yarns of the fabric are formed by knitting together, within a shed, adjacent loop forming yarns present in such shed and extending in the direction of the warp yarns by needles which are caused cyclically to move into and out of the shed through the sheet of warp yarns, the loop forming yarns being shifted laterally relative to the needles for engagement with respective such needles and the needles being co-operable with different loop forming yarns on successive insertions through the sheet of warp yarns for stitch formation. The co-operation of the needles with different loop forming yarns on successive insertions is achieved by a relative transverse movement of such yarns and the needles.

111mm States Patent 1191 Pollard 1451 May 29, 11am [75] Inventor: Derek Pollard, Blackburn, England [73] Assignee: Singer Company (U.K.) Limited,

London, England [22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 111,270

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,567 11/1928 Peuchert ..139/1 1,980,666 11/1934 Crompton ..139/1 1,799,563 4/1931 Lee ..139 1 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Denmark ..139/] OTHER PUBLICATIONS Shinn, Co-WE-Knit, The Knitter, Aug. 1968 pages 42-47.

Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum Attorney-Marshall J. Breen, Chester A. Williams, Jr. and Julian Falk [5 7] ABSTRACT A textile fabric is produced by employing both weav' ing and knitting techniques simultaneously. The weftwise extending yarns of the fabric are formed by knitting together, within a shed, adjacent loop forming yarns present in such shed and extending in the direction of the warp yarns by needles which are caused cyclically to move into and out of the shed through the sheet of warp yarns, the loop forming yarns being shifted laterally relative to the needles for engagement with respective such needles and the needles being co-operable with different loop forming yarns on successive insertions through the sheet of warp yarns for stitch formation. The co-operation of the needles with different loop forming yarns on successive insertions is achieved by a relative transverse movement of such yarns and the needles.

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TEXTILE FABRICS AND THE FABRIC PRODUCED THEREBY This invention relates to a method of and a means for producing textile fabrics, and has more particular reference to the production of a textile fabric by a combined weaving/knitting process.

Difiiculty is often experienced in connection with knitted fabrics on account of the lack of dimensional stability of such fabrics in both the longitudinal and the lateral directions thereof.

Woven fabrics do, however, present a more satisfac tory level of dimensional stability, at least in the warp and weft directions thereof, than do knitted fabrics, although the rate of production of a woven fabric is generally slower than that of a comparable knitted fabric.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of and a means for producing a textile fabric having a higher degree of dimensional stability than a comparable knitted fabric yet which can be produced at a higher rate than can a comparable woven fabric fabric.

According to the present invention a method of forming a textile fabric includes the steps of providing a multiplicity of warp yarns in the form of a sheet thereof, providing a second multiplicity of yarns which are also fed in a warp-wise direction and may be termed knitting or loop forming yarns and which are spaced at intervals widthwise of the first mentioned sheet of warp yarns, separating selected ones of the warp yarns from the sheet thereof to form a shed to receive a loop forming, entering a loop forming yarn or yarns into the said shed and thereafter changing the selection of yarns separated from the sheet so as to form a different shed, each course being formed in the shed by knitting together selected ones of the loop forming yarns.

Preferably each course is formed by drawing a loop of a first loop forming yarn through a loop of an adjacent second loop forrning yarn and subsequently drawing a second loop of the first loop forming yarn through a loop of a third loop forming yarn adjacent the first loop forming yarn.

The invention also includes apparatus for use in practisin g the method aforesaid which comprises a first yarn feed means arranged to support a multiplicity of yarns as a sheet thereof, a second yarn feed means arranged to support a second multiplicity of yarns at spaced intervals widthwise of the first mentioned sheet, a shedding means arranged to move selected ones of the first mentioned multiplicity of yarns from the sheet thereof to form a shed and to return such selected ones to the said sheet for a subsequent and different selection and shedding, and a loop insertion means engageable with the shed and adapted for co-operation with selected ones of the second multiplicity of yarns through the sheet of the first mentioned multiplicity of yarns to carry out a knitting operation on the said selected ones of the second multiplicity of yarns, the said loop insertion means including a yarn guide means and a multiplicity of adjacent reciprocable needles and being adapted for lateral transverse movement between the needles-and guide means.

Preferably, the guide means of the loop insertion means comprises a reed having adjacent reed spaces separated by wires and arranged to receive yarns from the first and or second yarn feed means.

In addition, the invention includes a fabric produced in accordance with the method or on the apparatus as aforesaid.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a machine for use in practising the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the relative dispositions of the healds, the reed and the me dle bed at the notional'comr'nencement of a stitch making cycle;

FIG. 2A is a plan view, partly broken away, corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3, 3A to FIGS. 7, 7A are views similar to FIGS. 2-2A showing successive stages in the formation of a stitch; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a fabric produced in accordance with the invention, the drawing showing the opposite face of the fabric to that shown in FIGS. 2A to 7A.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, apparatus for use in producing the composite woven/knitted fabric of the present invention comprises a loom sley 11 mounted for pivotal movement in conventional manner about an axis extending transversely of and spaced from a sheet 12 of yarns, a reed 13 supported on the sley and cyclically movable with such sley, two heddle frames 14 each carrying a multiplicity of heddle wires 14a for co-operation with the individual warp yarns 12a of the sheet thereof for shedding purposes, a yarn supply means 15 and a fabric take-up means 16. The apparatus will include a suitable drive means (not shown) for the oscillation of the sley 11 and for the fabric take-up means, whilst a dobby (not shown) will be provided for controlling the lifting and lowering of the heddle frame 14.

Thus far the apparatus corresponds to a conventional weaving loom, both as regards construction and operation.

However, in contradistinction to a conventional weaving loom, the reed is movably mounted on the sley for controlled adjustment in the longitudinal direction thereof in a manner and for a purpose hereafter to be made apparent.

A fixed needle plate 18 extends widthwise of the apparatus forwardly of the reed 13, the needle plate being supported on the framework 19 of the apparatus, a multiplicity of adjacent parallel grooves 18a is provided in the underside of the needle plate each slidably to receive a needle 21 into engagement therewith, the said grooves extending in a direction parallel to the individual yarns 12a and in number being two less than the number of wires 13a in the reed.

A needle bar 22 is mounted on the sley 11 in spaced parallel disposition relative thereto, the needle bar being arranged at the fabric take-up side of the sley and being co-operable with the needles 21 in the grooves 18a in the needle plate 18 to effect the sliding movement of the needles upon relative motion between the needle bar 22 and needle plate 18 consequent upon pivotal movement of the sley 11, the hook ends of the needles, once set according to the required stitch length, remaining at a constant distance from the reed at all times.

The needles 21 are conveniently of the compound type and have a tongue 212zslidable therein and movable to and from a position wherein the hook 21b at the remote end of the needle is closed. In order to facilitate the longitudinal movement of the tongue the latter embodies a lateral butt 21c which extends through a slot in the body 21d of the needle and is co-operable .with a suitable actuator (not shown) for control purposes. The needles and their operation are conventional and, if preferred, other known forms of hook-ended needles, for example latch-needles or bearded-needles" could be used. A heddle frame 23 is provided rearwardly of the warp heddle frames 14, loop forming yarns 24a being provided in the form of a sheet 24 thereof and such yarns passing through the wires of the respective heddle frame 23 and the reed 13 in a like manner to the warp yarns 12a. The loop forming yarn supply comprises a separate beam 25, having regard to the difierence in rate of yarn utilisation of the warp and loop forming yarns. It will no doubt be found preferable to provide a separate beam or yarn package for the selvedge loop forming yarns.

The sley 11 and the warp heddle frames 14 undergo the usual motions of a weaving loom in that the latter move up and down to form a shed to receive a filling yarn whilst the former moves back and forth to provide access to the shed for the introduction of the loop forming yarn 24a and to beat-up the loops after the insertion thereof. A warp let-off mechanism, not shown, will be provided to control the rate of release of warp yarns, the latter being provided in the form of a beam, whilst a further let-off mechanism, not shown, will control the feed of loop forming yarns.

In threading up the apparatus for use, two warp yarns 12a 12a, l2'a, l2'a' 12"a, 12"a', andasingle loop forming yarn 24a 24'a 24"a are passed through each reed space, except at the selvedge regions, the loop forming yarn 24a lying between those warp yarns 12a 12a which engage the same reed space. At the selvedge regions one warp and one loop forming yarn is present in each reed space, the loop forming yarns lying at the outer edges of sheet of yarns passing through the reed.

The operation of the apparatus aforesaid will become apparent from the ensuing description concerning the formation of stitches and the production of a fabric embodying the same.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-2A to 7-7A of the drawings, assuming the cycle of stitch formation to commence with the relative disposition of parts shown in FIGS. 2-2A, at such commencement the sley will be at the beat-up position, the reed 13 will be centrally placed relative to the sley, the needles 21 will be fully retracted into the needle plate, and each will be aligned with its respective reed wire 13a, the needle tongues 21a will be in the closed position to hold a respective loop in position on the hook, the heddle frame 23 will be fully down, and the warp heddle frames 14, will be moving to form a new shed.

From the relative disposition of parts shown in FIGS. 2-2A, the stitch-forming cycle proceeds by the rearwards movement of the sley 11 and thus a corresponding movement of the needles 21, the continued opening of the shed and the progressive shift of the loop 1 .1" onto the shank of the needle by which it was formed, the tongue of such needle having been retracted to release the loop for movement up the shank. The reed remains in its central position and thus, as the hook moves to enter the shed, it enters such shed between adjacent warp yarns of two succeeding reed spaces. A

relative disposition of parts consistent with this stage of the stitch forming cycle is shown in FIGS. 3-3A.

During the latter part of the rearward movement of the sley, the reed is displaced, say to the left, by an amount slightly in excess of one reed space, and the adjacent warp yarn and next adjacent loop forming yarn from the right are passed under the open hook of the needle. It is to be observed that the loop forming yarns 24a, 24'a 24"a lie at a slightly higher level than the lower warp yarns 12a 12a, 12a, l2a 12"a 12"a in the region of the end of the needle and that the loop already lying on the shank of a given needle is formed from a different loop forming yarn from that which now underlies the needle. The longitudinal shift of the reed and the continuing rearward movement of the sley is shown in FIGS. 4-4A and FIGS. 5-5A.

As the sley reaches its rearmost position and then reverses the direction of its motion, the heddle frame 23 is raised to bring the respective loop forming yarns into a position for engagement with the hooks which they underlie and continued forward movement of the sley, and thus of the needles, completes this engagement, as is shown in FIGS. 6-6A. The tongue will also move to its closed position to retain the loop on the needle and to permit of the drawing of a new loop through the loop existing on the needle shank, the latter loop being slipped from the needle at this stage.

During the continuing forward motion of the sley towards beat-up, the warp heddle frames move to a central position to assist beat-up and the reed resumes its central position relative to the sley, an intermediate stage in this procedure being shown in FIGS. 7-7A and the final stage being illustrated by a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the warp heddle frames changed over.

The cycle of operation described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7 is repeated for a shift of the reed to the right, as distinct from the left as in FIGS. 4-4A, but for a like shedding to that shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, and a loop of the loop forming yarn which now underlies a needle in the displaced position of the reed is drawn through the loop present on the shank of the needle. On completion of the beat-up of this second cycle of operation, the apparatusreverts to the relative disposition of parts shown in FIGS. 2-2A subject only to the movement of the heddle frames 14 in an opposite sense to that of FIG. 2-2A to form a different shed.

It will be appreciated that by arranging for a shedchange to take place only on the completion of alternate cycles of stitch formation, so will the selvedge regions be held fast, since otherwise, bearing in mind that a stitch is formed at the selvedge or not according to the direction of movement of the reed, there would be no effective crossing of the warp yarn between the formation of successive stitches.

A fabric constructed in accordance with the invention is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8, the weft being shown in readily recognisable loop form whereas, due to the beat-up, such loops will be compacted to lie more transversely of the fabric.

It will be appreciated that the lateral shift of the reed is not limited to a single reed space or thereabouts, nor is the shedding of the warp yarns limited to the use of two heddle frames, since a greater lateral displacement of the loop forming yarns and a more sophisticated weave structure for the warp yarns can be introduced if desired. A plurality of courses may be inserted in a given shed before the changeover thereof, if desired.

Furthermore, the loop forming yarns can be controlled by a plurality of heddle, or individually, if desired in order that selected loop forming yarns can be incorporated in the fabric as part of the structure thereof to the exclusion of others as required. Indeed, if desired, certain of the warp yarns can be utilised for the formation of loops and the loop forming yarns fulfil the function of warp yarns by adjusting the shedding to lift the requisite yarns into the path of the hooks at an appropriate stage in the stitch forming cycle.

Whilst preferably the heddle frame 23 or frames will be positioned rearwardly of the warp frames, in no sense is the invention restricted to such a relative disposition since such heddle frame or frames 23 can be located forwardly of or indeed between the warp heddle frames.

In the specific example herein set forth for the production of a fabric with the stitch structure illustrated, we have referred to the need, in order to ensure of fast selvedge, to effect a shed change only after completion of stitch forming cycles involving a movement of the reed to the left and to the right, that is to say after the completion of two beat-up operations. The need to proceed in this way can be avoided by providing a separate heddle frame for the selvedge warp yarns actuable independently of the main warp heddle frames, although a slightly different fabric structure would result.

As an alternative to achieving the relative lateral movement between the needles and the yarns necessary for the selective co-operation of the needles with different loop forming yarns by movement of the yarns by means of the reed, such relative movement may be effected in other ways, such as, for example, by moving the needle plate.

I claim:

l. A method of forming a textile fabric by using a plurality of spaced heddles, a laterally moveable reed member supported on a sley and a plurality of loop forming needles comprising, providing a first sheet of individual yarns, providing a second sheet of individual yarns, feeding said second sheet of yarns such that they are spaced at intervals relative to the yarns of said first sheet, separating selected yarns of said first sheet by moving said heddles in a direction substantially perpendicular to said second sheet to form a shed, inserting at least one yarn by said loop forming needles from said second sheet into said shed, forming a loop on said needles from said yarn from said second sheet, initiating relative lateral shifting movement between the yarns of said first and second sheets, again separating selected yarns from said first sheet by moving said heddles to form a shed different from said first shed, and inserting at least one other yarn by said loop forming needles from said second sheet into said shed and knitting together said yarns from said second sheet by initiating knitting action of said loop forming needles.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said knitting step comprises drawing a loop of one of said yarns from said second sheet through a loop of another yarn of said second sheet.

3. The method as claimed in claim ll further comprising shifting the yarns of one of said sheets laterally with respect to the yarns of said other of said sheets between successive knitting steps. a

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the yarns of said second sheet are shifted laterally with respect to the yarns of said first sheet.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising laterally shifting the yarns of said first and second sheets between successive knitting steps.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said knitting step further comprises knitting together yarns from said first and second sheets.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said knitting step includes the use of loop forming needle means and further comprises lifting said yarns of said second sheet for engagement with the needle means.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising separating selected yarns of said second sheet to form a shed and inserting a yarn from said first sheet into said shed and knitting together loops of yam from said first sheet.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second separating step comprises separating selected yarns of said first sheet in a direction substantially perpendicular to said second sheet to form a shed with said selected yarns being separated in opposite directions from said first-mentioned separation, and repeating the steps of inserting, forming and knitting.

10. Apparatus for forming a textile fabric comprising a first yarn feed means for feeding a first sheet of yarns, a second yarn feed means for feeding a second sheet of yarns, yarn guide means for guiding the yarns of said first and second sheets such that the yarns of said second sheet are disposed between yarns of said first sheet, yarn separating means for separating selected yarns of one of said sheets in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of yarn feed to form a shed, reciprocable needle means for inserting selected yarns of the other of said sheets into said shed and for knitting the yarns inserted into said shed, and said yarn guide means and said reciprocable needle means being laterally displaceable relative to one another for knitting selected yarns of the other of said sheets in different laterally disposed sheds formed by said yarn separating means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said yarn guide means comprises a reed including a support means supporting a plurality of laterally spaced wires for guiding the yarns of said first and second sheets.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said reed is disposed between said yarn separating means and said reciprocable needle means, and means for cyclically moving said reed toward and away from said yarn separating means.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said reciprocable needle means includes a plurality of needles slidably supported in a fixed needle plate.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said needles are disposed in a fixed relationship relative to the laterally spaced wires of said reed.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said yarn separating means comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced heddles, said heddles being operative for displacing selected yarns in directions above and below the plane including their respective sheet of yarns.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for lifting the yarns of the other of said sheets for cooperation with said reciprocable needles.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said reciprocable needles are operable for reciprocation into and out of said shed. 

1. A method of forming a textile fabric by using a plurality of spaced heddles, a laterally moveable reed member supported on a sley and a plurality of loop forming needles comprising, providing a first sheet of individual yarns, providing a second sheet of individual yarns, feeding said second sheet of yarns such that they are spaced at intervals relative to the yarns of said first sheet, separating selected yarns of said first sheet by moving said heddles in a direction substantially perpendicular to said second sheet to form a shed, inserting at least one yarn by said loop forming needles from said second sheet into said shed, forming a loop on said needles from said yarn from said second sheet, initiating relative lateral shifting movement between the yarns of said first and second sheets, again separating selected yarns from said first sheet by moving said heddles to form a shed different from said first shed, and inserting at least one other yarn by said loop forming needles from said second sheet into said shed and knitting together said yarns from said second sheet by initiating knitting action of said loop forming needles.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said knitting step comprises drawing a loop of one of said yarns from said second sheet through a loop of another yarn of said second sheet.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising shifting the yarns of one of said sheets laterally with respect to the yarns of said other of said sheets between successive knitting steps.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the yarns of said second sheet are shifted laterally with respect to the yarns of said first sheet.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising laterally shifting the yarns of said first and second sheets between successive knitting steps.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said knitting step further comprises knitting together yarns from said first and second sheets.
 7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said knitting step includes the use of loop forming needle means and further comprises lifting said yarns of said second sheet for engagement with the needle means.
 8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising separating selected yarns of said second sheet to form a shed and inserting a yarn from said first sheet into said shed and knitting together loops of yarn from said first sheet.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second separating step comprises separating selected yarns of said first sheet in a direction substantially perpendicular to said second sheet to form a shed with said selected yarns being separated in opposite directions from saId first-mentioned separation, and repeating the steps of inserting, forming and knitting.
 10. Apparatus for forming a textile fabric comprising a first yarn feed means for feeding a first sheet of yarns, a second yarn feed means for feeding a second sheet of yarns, yarn guide means for guiding the yarns of said first and second sheets such that the yarns of said second sheet are disposed between yarns of said first sheet, yarn separating means for separating selected yarns of one of said sheets in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of yarn feed to form a shed, reciprocable needle means for inserting selected yarns of the other of said sheets into said shed and for knitting the yarns inserted into said shed, and said yarn guide means and said reciprocable needle means being laterally displaceable relative to one another for knitting selected yarns of the other of said sheets in different laterally disposed sheds formed by said yarn separating means.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said yarn guide means comprises a reed including a support means supporting a plurality of laterally spaced wires for guiding the yarns of said first and second sheets.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said reed is disposed between said yarn separating means and said reciprocable needle means, and means for cyclically moving said reed toward and away from said yarn separating means.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said reciprocable needle means includes a plurality of needles slidably supported in a fixed needle plate.
 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said needles are disposed in a fixed relationship relative to the laterally spaced wires of said reed.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said yarn separating means comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced heddles, said heddles being operative for displacing selected yarns in directions above and below the plane including their respective sheet of yarns.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for lifting the yarns of the other of said sheets for cooperation with said reciprocable needles.
 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said reciprocable needles are operable for reciprocation into and out of said shed. 